Ashes, Ashes...
In the Decepticons' base Shockwave tells his troops how Power Station Alpha will unleash the Earth's energies, causing earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and tidal waves, until the planet becomes a fireball that will provide vast energy that Alpha will beam through space and power Cybertron. Ravage reports that Cobra have arrived with Alpha. Shockwave and Serpentor exchange pleasantries, each thinking how the other is stupid, and agree that Dr. Mindbender will serve as an ambassador to the Decepticons (and Cobra spy) whilst Dirge will accompany Cobra. Shockwave explains that if Cobra attack the Autobots' base at the Ark and secure a solar generator it will advance the alliance's goals. Serpentor agrees and the Cobra fleet departs, though the Baroness flies off in a different direction. At Fort Lewis G.B. Blackrock explains the basics of the Transformers and their war to Mainframe and Crankcase. Mainframe wonders if the Joes killed Bumblebee and hopes to tap any remaining life essence to communicate. Meanwhile the Autobots are attending to the funeral of Optimus Prime, and Omega Supreme declares he will not let Prime down in defending the Ark. Hawk has been summoned to to a meeting at the Pentagon, and ponders that the only good thing about it is the chance to see Barbara Larkin again as he's falling in love. Elsewhere Anthony Duranti is taken into surgery to remove the cerebro shell from inside his brain. Meanwhile the Senate adjourns for the day and Larkin goes to a cafe where she meets a contact. Larkin is angry as her contact was supposed to arrange for Alpha to be destroyed to cover up the dangers in its design. Now all the details are being re-examined and her career will be ruined as she pushed the project through to get money for her home state. Her contact - the Baroness - responds that no-one foresaw the intervention of the G.I. Joe team. As Larkin leaves a man observes her from behind a tree and takes notes. At the Ark Blaster reports an air fleet approaching and Omega Supreme heads out to meet the Cobra attack. He knocks down several of the jets. The other Autobots head out to join the action, whilst both Serpentor and Dirge both hold back, each realizing that the attack will fail. At the Pentagon Senator Garcia explains that Alpha has always had a design flaw and lacks fail-safes. He reveals there is further evidence that Larkin was aware of the problems but pushed ahead anyway. Hawk protests but the man behind the tree - Agent Kruchkiow - reveals photographs of Larkin's meeting with the Baroness. Hawk is shocked. At the Ark Serpentor and Dirge each goad the other into joining the fight and they fly forward. Meanwhile in the hospital the operation has been a success and Anthony is coming too. The doctor takes the cerebro shell away and starts probe it. At the Decepticon base Bombshell is showing Dr. Mindbender around when Mindbender notes that Alpha is being modified. Suddenly Bombshell starts convulsing and partially transforming. He is unsure what happened and goes for a systems check whilst Mindbender ponders the weakness. The cerebro shell is packaged and sent for government analysis. At Fort Lewis Mainframe and Crankcase connect Bumblebee's remains to a power supply and the Autobot starts responding. In Washington Hawk goes to Larkin's hotel room and confronts her about her arrangements with Cobra. He is furious at being betrayed and storms out on her. At the Ark Dirge's initial shot is weak. Serpentor goads the Decepticon into trying harder, whilst at the same time activating a device to jam his frequencies. Dirge finds his weapons don't respond when suddenly his energies overload and he explodes. Serpentor uses the destruction of the Decepticons as a way of proving good faith to the Autobots and declares they have come in peace. Omega Supreme tells them they can land without fear. Hawk is relaxing, still moping about how he let himself be fooled when he gets a call about the information revealed by Blackrock and Bumblebee. He is horrified that his orders to shoot first and ask questions later have resulted in the Joes not knowing about the threat and losing Alpha. He orders a force to be dispatched to the Ark. At the Decepticon base Mindbender is awoken by the noise of Alpha launching and rushes to contact Serpentor. At the Ark Blaster and Serpentor discuss the situation when the latter receives the message from Mindbender. Realizing the urgency of the threat, Cobra and the Autobots agree to work together. Suddenly the Joes arrive and pick up the message. They realize they must help the Autobots save the world - even though it means accepting Cobra as allies! |Appearing1= Featured Characters Featured Vehicles & Equipment Featured Locations |MemorableQuotes1= |Errors1=* On the cover Shockwave is depicted with two hands, while Serpentor's helmet and Blaster's head are miscolored. * Mainframe and Crankcase are spelt "Main Frame" and "Crank Case" respectively. * The funeral of Optimus Prime is shown taking place at the Ark. In the regular Transformers comic it took place away from the Ark in the mountains. * Both normal Jetfire and Jetfire's "Macross" model show up at Optimus Prime's funeral. * And standing behind Jetfire seems to be Ratchet, who's expressly not supposed to be there. Though it's hard to tell if that's indeed a chevron on his head or parts of the the back of Macross Jetfire's head. If the latter, it could be Ironhide, but Ratchet's definitely there when the issue returns to the Autobots. * Senator Larkin meets with a known member of a terrorist organization in a public restaurant. Was she trying to get caught? * Omega Supreme is extremely gullible. The Cobra jets shoot at him for a while, then say, "Uh, we didn't mean it," and he goes along with this? |ItemsOfNote1=* See G.I. Joe and the Transformers#Items of note for details on where this series takes place in the continuities of both regular comic series. * The funeral of Optimus Prime took place in issue #26 of the Marvel Transformers comic. * Both Transformers factions have had a change of leadership since the first issue. Optimus Prime was killed in issue #24 of the regular Transformers comic and Blaster is an acting commander until a new leader will be chosen in issue #27. Megatron committed suicide in issue #25 and Shockwave immediately succeeded him. * After dying in this issue, Dirge will remain dead for the rest of the Transformers G1 comics. *In the United Kingdom the story was reprinted in Transformers #273, #274, #275 & #276. |RealWorldRefs1= |Footnotes= }} Category:Transformers crossovers